Free Fall
by Embers Rose
Summary: Massie Harris, former Second General of Artemis's Hunt. Heart broken now
1. Breakout

My hip slammed into solid rock. The Are's kid had his sword to my throat and it was getting harder to breathe. The blade broke skin on my neck. I tried screaming as blood trickled down my throat but it came out as a strangled rasp.

It was then that I felt my immortality draining away. I had lived through every war this country had ever seen and I was going to die then in a petty game of capture the flag with a bunch of loser half-bloods who were snotty and conceited? I didn't think so then.

But I realize I might as well have died then, rather than relive the pain of losing my honor, my pride, and him. Mostly losing him.

In a failed attempt of pushing the boy off of me, I slid down the rock, losing consciousness. I heard him laugh spitefully before leaving me to bleed to death on Zeus' Fist, from where I had many memories before joining the Hunt. One such as ludicrous like I was in, nearly dying in a game.

I heard a soft voice in my ear, much later. I was on a bed, or a sofa, and a hand was on my shoulder. I recognized the voice to be speaking ancient Greek healing chants. My eyes fluttered feebly open and seen a boy with golden blonde hair that fell into his eyes that were a corn-flower blue. I scoffed quietly. The boy gave me a questioning look.

"Son of Apollo, I should have guessed." I rasped. He chuckled to himself with a hint of pink in his cheeks. I closed my eyes again, smiling. "I should, out of common courtesy, ask my healers name?"

"Lee Fletcher, son of Apollo. Head of Cabin 7. Lucky for you, I was there when the bastard left you on the Fist." He said. I fell back asleep, nodding an understanding.

I woke up in Lady Artemis's cabin, like I had been in so many times before. Zoe was gasping on her bunk and shaking her head back and forth. Before anyone could get her, I jumped up, painfully, and rushed her to the Big House.

As I waited for her nervously on the thread bare sofa, I saw a familiar head of golden blonde hair.

"Life is pretty busy as a healer, eh, Lee?" I asked, quietly. He grinned. He flopped sleepily on to the couch next to me.

"I never got your name."

"Massie Harris, Second General of Artemis's Hunt." I bowed, revealing my bow and silver pin of Artemis's stag on my collar bone.

"And daughter of whom?" But before I told him, Chiron came in.

"We must talk. She said that Artemis has gone missing. I am not sure, but you might be able to contact her. Through the Link that you two share. He murmured. I nodded.

"I'll need time. Tomorrow morning is the soonest, but it will not be as strong as it would need to be. Is this a particularly rushed situation?"

"However much time you need, Lady." I nodded once more and walked to return to the cabin. I would need sleep to get as prepared as possible to complete the task. If Zoe was right, and she always was, Artemis was in trouble.


	2. Link

I woke to the gentle sound of wind blowing. The Link was completed.

"Phoebe, would you toss me my shoes?" She nodded her head and tossed me my Converse. For being 200 odd years old, I was pretty current. I jumped from the top bunk, my hair billowing around me. I would have to braid it later, but I was starved.

The cold bit my bare legs as I walked to the Big House. I was nearly there when I was tapped on my shoulder. I spun to see Thalia, and a boy –Perseus? - pointing to a gazebo.

"Breakfast, genius." Thalia said. She was obviously implying that I was dumb for wearing jean shorts in the dead of January.

"I know but I need to speak with Chiron." I barked. She grinned. She dragged me by the hand to the gazebo.

"Not on an empty stomach, you're not. Let's go" I settled at the Artemis table with my sisters about ten minutes later. There was a jab on my ribs when I had dumped the remains of my meal in the fire. I spun to see Lee Fletcher smirking with other boys.

"Yes, boy?" I asked. How I loathed men. I almost loved one once, years ago, when this country was new, but I had wasted my time. I shot the three an evil glance, when they laughed more.

"Chiron wanted me to, uh, escort you to the training fields. As to emphasize the, uh, Empathy Link with Artemis with training." He said nervously. The two boys left his side and we walked down a hill to a large amphitheatre.

"You never told me who your godly parent was last night." I didn't respond for a long time because it was quite embarrassing. She wasn't even a god.

"She's not really a goddess." I muttered.

"A minor goddess?"

"No, a Titan." That erased any other questions for a while. "The Titan goddess Styx of the river in the Underworld and personification of hatred" We had reached the amphitheatre and hadn't spoken for at least five minutes when he spoke again.

"I guess that's what makes you such a good Huntress." I gave him an incredulous look as he strapped on a chest plate.

I was walking back to my cabin after many hours of speaking with Lady Artemis telepathically. I was drained. Another person settled in walk with me. I didn't have to look to see who it was.

"Hello Lee." I could see him smiling even with my eyes closed.

"Just saying' good night." He said running off. My heart skipped a beat.

_Watch yourself, Massie. You are a Huntress, not an ordinary Half Blood. Liking men is not exceptable_


	3. Lee

Lee POV(just testing)  
"Hey Harris" I greeted Massie, sleepily. I flopped on the couch next to her, and she opened an onyx eye at me. She had the strangest eyes. I had never seen her Titan mother, Styx, but I had heard of her river, and from what I'd heard, they were the same; Black with red buried underneath along with secrets and lost dreams.  
"Fletcher" she said softly. She always spoke softly. Even when ancient Greek curse words were thrown at me, they were in a soft voice."Life is pretty busy as a healer, huh?"  
"Healer Lee Fletcher, at your service." I bowed, She smiled. She began drifting asleep. She rested her head on my shoulder, I suppose it was because my arm was softer than the arm of the because she liked me.  
She put an old, folded, crumpled picture in my hand. It looked as thugh it had been taken in the fifties.  
"The woman, on the left, is my mother Styx. I'm on the right." I looked at it. Masie and Styx looked exactly the same except for Massie's hair was curly and Styx's was straight. The eyes were the same. The faces. The bodies. Both were beautiful, but a feeling I got from Styx wasn't the kind I got from Massie. Massie had a kind, serious, almost loving aura while her mother gave off anger, and hatred and burning passion of something unidentifiable.  
Gods,. Great Greek gods. There was something about Massie I couldnt resist. But I couldnt ever love her like I probably wanted to. She was bound to Artemis, the virgin goddess. But, hell, Massie, she was just something new.

Hey! Please tellme if you like Lee's POV. I didnt want to sound love struck teenager but I wanted to express the undeniable feelings that he had for Massie. Please review. No flamers(they make me cry :} O_o" 


	4. Quest

I heard a voice in my head. Artemis. She sounded pained, like there was an incredible pressure on her.

"ATLAS!" she screamed "LET ME GO!" I heard an evil, cruel laugh and I lost the connection.

I gasped awake, still on the couch. I felt someone shift beside me. Lee. I jumped up, trying to rid myself of him. I couldn't allow that again. I dashed to the Fist, and curled myself in a ball. I stayed there until morning.

When I went back to the cabin to shower and Zoe was packing her things.

"Where you headed to?" I asked, digging in my sack.

"Quest for Artemis." I dropped my shampoo.

"Why was I not included on this quest?"

"You weren't there."

"So I don't get a damn say?"

"No. Besides, you don't need to go to see my father. You remember last time, I know." She said, adjusting her bow on her back . I did remember very vividly. What an earthquake. So I let her leave. She would come back. She couldn't leave me.

The next day, Chiron approached me.

"Miss Harris, I have a favor to ask of you"


	5. Battle

I sat in the Camp van, plucking idly at my acoustic guitar. I hummed tunes under my breath and even sang a few.

Lee sat behind me, playing on an "iPod".

The van pulled to a stop in front of an abandoned mansion. I could sense the monster lurking within its crumbling walls. Not particularly ancient but old enough.

We began to get ready. I slid on fingerless leather gloves, tied my hair back and laced my boots tight. Adjusting my bow and quiver on my back and tightening my sword on my waist, I swung the door open.

A blast of cold air hit us as we walked to the gate. I heard the van pull away.

"Ready?" Lee asked, shivering.

"As ever." My ripped jean pants made it cold as my knees were bared to the snow. We zipped our jackets up simultaneously .

I kicked the gate open and it creaked open slowly, painfully slow.

We busted through the doors and the creature's presence hit me like the cold.

"The basement. It's in the basement." I said. He nodded and followed me trying to navigate my through the giant house.

Finally, we found it. It looked as though it used to be mahogany and grand. Now it was splintered and hideous.

"Ready?" I asked.

"As ever." He nodded.

I turned the door knob and I heard the creature shift.

"Four legs." We notched our arrows and swung the door open

The Chimera tackled Lee. I screamed a Greek curse. It turned to me.

I seen Lee's body, torn and bloody. His eyes were already swelling.

Before I could think, I let go of the arrow. It hit the thing in the eye, blinding it. I pulled my sword and jumped on it. I heard the bronze sink in to iron muscle. Green ichor covered the floor and myself and the Chimera disappeared.

I ran to Lee, and he groaned in pain. I murmured words of ancient healing, praying to the gods.

His once swollen eyes, fluttered open. They were the color of the sky; flecked with sapphire and aquamarine. Like his father's. He shoved golden blonde hair from those eyes. Before he thanked me, I took out a flip open cellular phone. I pressed 2 and Chiron answered.

"Its done"

"On our way."

"Get your best healers ready. Lee's got some injuries."

"Okay"

"Thank you."

"Thank you, Miss Harris" And the centaur was gone. I carried Lee to the now-waiting van.

And I prayed for quick travel.

**Hey guys, do you like it? Sorry about Zoe's speech. I totally spaced it! Please comment!**

**Embers**


	6. Memory

I slept fitfully that night. Tossing and turning with awful nightmares of Artemis, Lee, and Zoe. I finally settled on a memory.

Its 1753 and I'm 16. Camp Half-blood is really just a collection of cabins and a cleared out field is what would be a training ground. Chiron has just come from England like the rest of us. None of us were born in the colonies. They were too new.

I was wandering through the dusty streets of James town, glancing into shop windows and greeting townspeople. I walk into the general store and am greeted by a plump woman in a blue dress. She has blonde hair twisted back into a frizzy bun.

"'Ello, miss. What are you interested in?" she asks in her London accent. I shook my head. I hid myself in a back corner lit by only a flickering candle. I reach in the pocket of my apron, and pulled out a small shard of glass. I prick the palm of my hand. Blood begins to flow and as it drips on the mirror bit, someone walks toward me. I drop the shard in pocket and hide my hand. I spin to see a boy.

I wasn't so spiteful then.

He was tan and muscled. He was tall and slightly lanky. He had sandy blonde hair with hazel eyes. His loose fitting white shirt was un-tucked. He smiles.

"You lost, miss?" he asks. He glances at the drops of blood on my dress.

"Um, no. Actually, I was just looking for someone just like you." He gave me a puzzled look, but follows me anyway. We wound up on the beach until near dusk. And then I have to leave. Before I go, he stands up.

"I never told you my name,"

"Nor I"

"Yours first." He says, lacing his fingers through mine. His hazel eyes hold my own, never lightening black ones.

"I'm called Massie Harris, but that's not my birth name. My birth name is much stranger and ancient. Demitria Kosmas. Your turn," I say, rushed, in my regal accent.

"Well, I guess what I'm called is the same as my birth name. Nothing special or anything, just, uh, Jonathan Fletcher."

I screamed myself awake. Vivienne was already putting a cool rag on my forehead. I was sweating but freezing at the same time.

"I thought you wouldn't ever wake up. I was going to send in the Apollo boy you hang out with." She said, in her sweet Southern Bell voice.

"How long have I been out?" I gasped, attempting to sit up. I couldn't.

"Nearly four days."

I didn't know what exactly it was then, but I later found out it wasn't just a medical condition, it was grief.


	7. Lost

I couldn't look at Lee without tears coming.

His face and hair so similar to Jonny's it made me want to scream my lungs out.

Finally, Chiron gave me something to do. With Lee again. Luckily, other campers would be going too. Vivienne, and a boy named Travis Stoll, one of Lee's friends.

I once again picked idly at the guitar.

When we arrived, Chiron paired us up. Boy and girl. I was with Lee again. It was negative 17 when we arrived at a run-down garden store.

"Aunt Em's Garden Emporium." Lee said. We were dropped off at a different site than the other two. The frigid wind blew, and I caught whiff of a terrible creature. Not Medusa that usually resides there.

It was Echidna.

I gripped Lee's hand. Butterflies erupted in my stomach.

The last time I fought Echidna, I was nearly killed. I was scarred so badly , even two hundred years later I was still finding scars from her fangs.

"Don't let go of my hand. I am ready to drop dead of fear any second now."

"I wouldn't plan on it." We knocked our bows, letting go for only a moment. He kicked the door open. I wouldn't let him get attacked first this time.

Around us were a thousand statues of Medusa's victims.

Echidna's stink enveloped me.

Then, with only a statue to knock over, she struck. Her mouth wide open with fangs dripping poison, I didn't think.

I wouldn't let Lee fight her.

I stole his blade from his waist and jammed her mouth open with it. She began to sizzle away, but not until a hundred arrows marked her. A hundred scars of mine.

Echidna exploded in shower of gore, leaving our weapons. I only received a slice above my eye and below it. Nothing too permanent.

I turned to Lee, unscathed and perfect. He wiped the blood from my face. But his hand didn't leave my face.

And then it happened. As suddenly as his grandfather before him befriended me, Lee's lips crushed to mine.

And I didn't pull away.

I let him kiss me, his untainted breath hot in my mouth. I let his hands pull me closer as I kissed him in return.

I could hear my goddess' voice in my head telling me- no begging me to punish him for his actions. But I couldn't.

I loved Artemis, but right then, I loved Lee more.

I snapped the Link.

I knew that when Artemis was saved, I would not be.


	8. Dead

I rested my head on Lee's shoulder as we sat in Apollo's cabin. We sat together on his bunk, a makeshift curtain of blankets around us. Lee stroked my hair while I told him about my life.

"I had three younger sisters. I had a family. I had friends." I murmured into his neck. " My sisters weren't half bloods, like I was. According to my father, Styx seduced him and dropped me on his family's door step when I was two. He had already married and my stepmother was pregnant with my sister Chelsea. She loved me more than he did. When I was eight, my sister Sarah was born. And when I was eleven my youngest sister Cecilia was born. My best friend wasn't a half blood either. Her name was Mary. She killed herself when I left to the States. My stepmother left my father because he forced me to leave. I had nothing to live for here 'til I met your grandfather. He rooted me. Then he met Echidna. Artemis and Zoe saved me." He nodded, looking at me.

I loved his eyes. So blue and deep and pure. He rolled over and cradled me in his strong arms.

"Then I met you." I whispered. He pressed his lips to my forehead.

And he kissed me for the second time. He braced himself over me, his forearms framing my head. I wrapped my hands around his neck. I felt his hands move down my side and hook on my belt loop. I didn't know what I wanted before then. Lee's fingers erupted flames on my bare skin.

Then someone burst through the cabin door. We bolted up right. It was Travis Stoll. He ripped down the blanket, barely stunned by what he was looking at.

"Massie, you need to get to the Big House _now_" He said. I was up and running in less than a second. Something in the pit of my stomach that had burned lowly all day now was an inferno.

I busted through the door to see the Hunt crying.

"What the hell is going on?" I barked to Chiron.

"Artemis has been saved. Kronos has been delayed." He murmured, approaching me.

"Then why the fuck is everyone crying?"

"Zoe is dead."

My world shattered. I fell to my knees, screaming. Around me, the windows broke to a million pieces each. I coughed up blood.

The girl who saved me. Who told me I would be fine, that I didn't need Jonny to live. Who was the only one who would ever understand.

Dead.

Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. 

_Mortem occumbere pro patria. Vita excedere. Extremum vitae spiritum edere._

**Hey guys, you like it? It would be your benefit to look up the last three sentences. My name is in this story somewhere. Can you guess it?**

** Embers **


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